Ukraine Facing Twin Challenges

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — After almost 30 months of war with Russia, Ukraine’s difficulties on the battlefield are mounting even as its vital support from the United States is increasingly at the mercy of changing political winds. A six-month delay in military assistance from the U.S., the biggest single contributor to Ukraine, opened the door for a push on the front line by the Kremlin’s forces. Ukrainian troops are now laboring to check the gains by Russia’s bigger and better-equipped army. The next two or three months will likely be the hardest this year for Ukraine, says Michael Kofman of the Carnegie Endowment. Lurking in the background is another nagging worry: How long will the Western political and military support critical for Ukraine’s fight endure?